ILFORD Golf Club s Leslie Woods team are through to the second round of the Essex Golf Union competition after beating Woodford Golf Club 12. - 2.. Captained by Neil Glover, Ilford s team took a commanding 4. - 1 lead in the morning foursomes before winn

ILFORD Golf Club's Leslie Woods team are through to the second round of the Essex Golf Union competition after beating Woodford Golf Club 121/2 - 21/2.

Captained by Neil Glover, Ilford's team took a commanding 41/2 - 1/2 lead in the morning foursomes before winning the afternoons singles matches 8-2. The result was deceptive though, with a lot of matches going down to the wire and being won on the 18th hole.

The team, consisting of vice captain Jeff Ball, Mark Bishop, Stuart Curran, Charlie Finn, Bobby Golding, Paul McMahon, Ian Morgan, Mick Ryan, Ilford captain Ray Stevens and Mick Wheatley, now face an away tie against Toot Hill or St Cleres Hall.

Meanwhile, Ilford's St George's Day celebrations were well received, with Geoff Allen winning the trophy, scoring 39 points.

Leroy Townsend finished second with 38 points whilst the guest prize, the Harold Gibbard Trophy, was won by Ted Roche with 39 points, narrowly edging out Seamus O`Donnell on countback.

The ladies' 13-hole competition was won by captain Tracy Lawrence, who finished with 27 points. Nina Kinsell took the guest prize with 30 points. Matthew Pinner won the juniors' competition with 39 points.

WOODFORD Golf Club's Foursomes Cup was won by the powerful combination of Mark Rowley and Malcolm Smith.

The duo won with a net 65, 61/2 strokes clear of Richard Blackburn and Steve Parlor, and John Mansfield and Sean Marah.

In the first round of the Leslie Wood Trophy, played on the following day, Woodford's team, led by non-playing captain Rod Lugsden, lost away to Ilford by 121/2-21/2, with Malcolm Smith registering Woodford's only win of the match in his singles game.